Posted on 12/10/2008 8:53:48 AM PST by Smogger
In these days of longer commutes and simmering tempers, nothing seems to set off already-testy motorists like the left-lane camper -- the guy or gal who drives in the passing lane and bars faster drivers from easily passing. Web sites have cropped up to educate other drivers, or to vent. There's a (somewhat painful) YouTube song called "Keep Right."
Even bigwigs get frustrated. Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, weary of having his limo slowed down by such left-lane pokies, ordered an aide to have the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission install signs a few years ago reading "Keep Right, Pass Left. It's the Law."
And now some states are cracking down on left-lane campers, both to keep traffic moving and to tamp down the road rage that goes from zero-to-60 faster than ever before.
That's not just a pretext. Last year, a driver was arrested on Interstate 79 outside Pittsburgh after allegedly brandishing a semiautomatic pistol at a driver who was on his tail.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.moneycentral.msn.com ...
I remember when I was a kid and folks used to flash their brights from behind you to alert you that they were going to pass.... maybe that was just in Texas, not sure.
In Maryland, it’s “Geyne dannyashun” (sumpin’ like that ...)
Thats because you, or someone you know, has gotten a ticket for exactly what people are discussing here. My Dad got tagged once. Not pretty.
I use the Rumble Strips on the side of the road - it usually works - most of these slow pokes never look in a rear view mirror.
If there’s a line of cars are behind you - and no one is in front of you - YOU are the PROBLEM!!
I really get annoyed when I am trying to turn into my apartment complex and the line of cars stopped at the red light go past where I need to turn.......with no break for where I turn. In KS, people would not block a turning location. They would leave room for you to go while they sat at the red light. Here, they don’t care.....they block you in so you have to wait for their light to turn green.
Thankfully, that doesn’t happen very often. I just wonder why Texans have such horrible driving manners.
Otherwise, I love this state. People are nice, and the state itself is neat.
gotta call you on that one....I-94 through macomb county is rated as the worst road in the state, and every retard in a minivan on the phone in the left lane at 50 MPH in a 70 MPH zone in the state lives and drives along this stretch of road...these are the same retards that never get in an accident, but accidents seem to happen all around them
It is against the law here in GA. The law even says under prevailing conditions to negate the speeding argument.
>>People passing on the left are invariably going higher than allowed limits.<<
That is simply false. I have a calibrated speedometer on my Chrysler 300. I was stuck behind a guy like this in a 60 mph zone and the guy was obviously trying to actively force the speed limit by locking it in with his car. Unfortunately, he was only doing 57.
It is also an unwritten rule in many states that the limit is not a brick wall. In washington, you generally have to be going ten over before you are ticketed, unless you already have a bad record or some other catalyst causes them to want to ticket you. I was pulled over two months ago for doing 34 in a 25. The guy gave me a warning. He almost had an apologetic attitude. Almost. But then, my record is squeeky clean and they were looking for a certain type of driver.
And yet I got a “zero point” ticket for $25 in North Dakota a few months ago for doing 84 in a 75. I saw the cop from MILES AWAY, looked at my speedometer, and thought I was doing fine. (it actually read 81). You never know.
There also used to be a rule in California that if you had 5 or more cars lined up behind you on a two lane road where they could not pass, you had to pull over at the next turn out and let the others pass. On Highway 1, it was very common to see the CHP be the 5th car behind a slowpoke and, if they passed a couple of turnouts without pulling over, turn on the lights and ticket the first car. We always cheered when they did that!
Of couse silly, it means 'Watch Out! I'm Coming Over Now!'
Getting over in Texas is going by the wayside.
Out Alpine way they still do that. Not much here in Central Texas
those large shoulders are just for that for the pokies to get outta the way.
And as you pass em up your supposed to wave as a gesture of thanks.
Not flash your flashers at em.
I love it when some jackwipe passes me at 85mph, I call them “bait”
***************
I call them a ‘Pace car’
Precisely.
Maybe they are hoping the message will be carried up the line to the slow poke in the lead? Bet you also wonder why when you are the fifth car in line at a light when the guy behind you honks at you. Clue: He is not honking at you....but rather the person in the lead asleep at the switch.
you are correct, and it is real simple to just move over a lane when you see a set of headlights coming at you like a meteor....if i have room to move, i will always move over for the faster driver...
That’s it, you’ve got it. I have been living in another blue state, Virginia, for about twenty years. I have lost the proper enunciation of Bawlmer speak.
Had an idiot do something like that last year. Its pouring down rain, raining so hard you cant see 20 feet in front of you Im in the left hand lane behind another guy who has slowed down because of the rain. This goofy kid in flys up behind me and starts honking his horn. It takes bit before I can change lanes but I finally do after the car in front of me does. Junior is pissed so he stomps his 4 cylinder “hot rod” and goes flying past, he makes it about 30 yards and starts spinning, the boob who was on his ass runs into him. I saw them both hit the concrete medium in the center of the x-way from my rear view mirror. IDIOTS.
It’s about time that they go after the left-lane bandits. It seems to be a problem here in Tennessee for some reason - people don’t understand the simple concept of “slower traffic keep right”. If you’re not passing, get out of the hammer lane. Some people actually have a destination to which they’d like to get in a timely manner.
And people hanging out in the left lane need to be taught some manners. Get your butt over on the right or turn your keys over your children as you're obviously too old to be allowed to block the freeway.
And so long as I am not presenting a danger to you, what business is it of yours the speed I choose to drive?
Cheers,
Lloyd
Every lane slowpokes have been driving me crazy. The freaking hypermilers that take half a mile to accelerate to the speed limit haven’t seemed to figure out that gas is chap again.
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